Sleepless
by Trulie Hope
Summary: Sakura's been plagued by insomia for almost a week now, but wait, Syaoran too? And how does Eriol fit in? Something's brewing... Complete
1. When Sleep Won't Come

Sleepless 

** Chapter One: ** _ When sleep won't come _

By Trulie Hope 

* 

If things didn't turn around soon, if she had to spend one more night awake and tossing while the world slept, she would go insane. 

She'd grown to hate her room. The pinkness of everything drew on her nerves: walls, bedspread, pictures, all lace and frill. It pressed in on the teen, suffocating her already exhausted mind. She'd spent too many sleepless hours in this prison and escape was necessary 

This had been going on for days, her bout with insomnia, and it didn't seem to be going away any time soon. Nothing had worked to cure it, god knew she tried it all: sleeping medicine, herbs, charms, hot baths. Even a temple visit and long devotion had brought around nothing. 

Sakura stumbled to the window and pulled it open. Early morning air flowed in with refreshing fierceness, washing over her body and tousling her hair mercilessly. A sigh escaped her lips, she fell to rest on the sill with head in hands. In the world outside, her town was shrouded by pre-dawn gloom. 

The sun was beginning to rise, proof of how early it was. She'd never seen the sunrise before this week and, under the current circumstances, she hoped to never see it again. But it was beautiful. 

_What is my problem? Why can't I sleep…_

A hint of magic floated on the wind, tickling her aura as it passed. She recognized the signature, black and consuming like the sleep she wanted desperately to lose herself in. The touch was Eriol's, tentative and gentle like his attitude towards her, wrapping her in a type of magical embrace. 

"Thanks, Eriol-kun," she mouthed to the breeze, smiling as the sun peaked over the horizon and bathed the rooftops below in golden light. Today was a new day. 

Sakura pulled herself away from the window, breeze turning up her pajama shirt as she walked away. She could still feel the taint of Eriol's magic shifting and swirling with her own. It reminded her distinctly of her father and the way he pressed a damp cloth to her head when she was sick. 

The clock numbers began to shift. Six thirty-one popped into view and the alarm went off, intending to wake a sleeping girl; but she had no need of waking and reached out to shut off the device. 

On the other side of the room a dresser drawer popped open, releasing a flying creature into the room. "Sakura-chan, rise and shine!" he greeted cheerfully. The smile dropped, replaced by a frown of concern. His mistress was already awake, standing before her made bed. 

"Morning Kero," she returned with a huge grin, switching the machine to off. 

He hovered near her shoulder and landed on her extended hand. "Did you get any sleep last night?" he wondered. 

She shook her head. "No, not much. I'm going to get ready for school now." Sakura gave him another smile, pulling clothes from a drawer before walking out of the room. 

A hot shower made her feel better but did nothing to increase her energy level. After dressing, she gathered her school things and went downstairs to greet her father and brother, both men looked up as she walked in. They were seated around the kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper in silence. 

"Another hard night, Sakura-chan?" 

She glanced up with worn green eyes, smiling cheerfully at her father. "Not really, I think it's going away," her voice chirped as she helped herself to a basket of muffins. 

"So how much sleep did you get last night, monster?" Touya was watching his sister carefully over his coffee cup. She'd grown up, from a child to a beautiful young woman of sixteen. He'd grown more sheltering of her too, concerning himself now with protecting his precious sister from the opposite sex. He knew how boys that age thought, he was sixteen once, and felt he had to protect Sakura from their corrupt minds. Now, his mission was saving her from herself and that damn cheerful front. 

Nibbling at her muffin, the emerald-eyed teen looked slightly nervous. "Oh at least six hours. And I'm not a monster," she threw some muffin in his direction. 

"I see," he replied, catching the flying morsel and popping it into his mouth. "then I think you should go back to kindergarten. I walked by your room at nine, eleven, one, three, and five; your light was on the whole time." 

"Sorry," she mumbled as her face flushed. Sakura looked down, feeling ashamed that she'd lied to her family, "I didn't want you to worry." 

"Don't worry about us, this seems to be getting serious. Should I make a doctor's appointment?" Fujitaka wondered, hand resting gently on his daughter's head. 

"Okay, I guess," sighing, Sakura took her plate to the sink and rinsed it. "I guess I'll head to school now," she said, waving good-bye to her father and brother before picking up her school things and heading for the door. "I'm leaving now!" 

School didn't start for a while, but a desperate need to be free of her house surrounded her. Her family was concerned, she realized, but even their worry seemed to press in on her like her room had. No doubt lack of sleep was making her irritable, she considered as she trudged the familiar path to high school. Exhaustion filled her form, but she could do nothing. 

Today Sakura arrived at school earlier than she ever had before, so early that the grounds were deserted. There was nothing better to do and her limbs were crying out for relief, so she sat down on the grass beneath a leafy tree. She rested her head against the trunk and closed her eyes, willing sleep to come. Beneath a tree would be a strange place to fall asleep, but some sleep was better than no sleep at all. 

_I have a geometry test today_ she thought. The revelation made her grown. Yes, she'd had hours of time because of her sleeplessness but she still managed to put off studying. I could now, though. It wouldn't help to look at those Theorems we learned. 

Her valiant effort didn't last long. After two minutes of examining her textbook, Sakura's head was spinning and she felt more confused than before. "Hoe… how could anyone understand this?" she demanded, speaking to the air around her. Again she rested her head against the tree trunk, frustrated with herself for being so dense. The teen let her eyes wander and as she examined the green foliage above her head. She found a pair of eyes starring back down. 

"Syaoran-kun!! How long have you been up there?" 

Caught, the man in the tree slide gracefully from his perch. A slight blush tinted his cheeks as he landed before her with a soft thump. "I'm usually here early, it helps if I meditate before school," he replied. "I didn't realize you were down here until I heard your little outburst. But you're here awfully early." 

"Yes, I am," Sakura laughed nervously. Syaoran didn't know about her sleeping problems, not even Tomoyo knew the full extent of the issue. "Kero-chan was hungry this morning and woke me up early so I could get him some food. Touya was being mean, calling me a monster and everything, so I decided to go to school." It bothered her that she was lying to Syaoran, the one person who'd always been completely honest with her. 

He examined her critically. "Are you feeling okay? You look a little under the weather, maybe you're getting sick. There's been something different about you, you haven't been yourself lately." 

"That's not very nice, just because I'm not late for school…" 

"Something's wrong, what?" 

_I should have known I couldn't evade his questions._ "It's nothing, really," she protested, "I'm just a little tired. I didn't get that much sleep last night." 

His eyes narrowed slightly as his mouth set into a line. "Last night or all most of this week?" 

"M… most of this week too." How could he have known that? Maybe Tomoyo had talked to Touya, who'd explained it her, and he'd told, and she thought it a good idea to tell the brown-haried boy… 

Syaoran's heaved a sigh and she glanced up. His face was pinched into a scowl as he took a seat beside her and folded his legs underneath. Something was worrying him. "I've been having the same problem," he commented bitterly. 

Sakura could see the proof in his face. His gaze wasn't quite as sharp, the amber of his eyes dulled and small dark patched sagged beneath. Even his posture was different, shoulders sagging beneath the fabric of his uniform. The signs weren't that hard to miss, she might have noticed if she'd taken the time to look. 

"When did this start, for you?" 

"Monday night." 

He nodded. "It could be a very large coincidence, but I doubt it," Syaoran commented darkly as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

She met his frown with a puzzled gaze of her own as her fingers strayed to the start key tied around her neck. "Do you think magic is causing this? Like a Clow Card? But I thought we caught them all…" 

"Magic yes, Clow Card, no," he corrected. "You're right. To my knowledge all the existing cards are safely in your book. They're all Sakura cards now." 

"Then how would you explain this?" 

"A number of things, actually. We need to figure it out soon so we can get some sleep." As an afterthought he asked, "lie down for a second, would you?" 

"Huh?" His request seemed bizarre, but she knew he wouldn't ask something like that of her without having a reason. She complied, lowering herself to the grass and looking up at him questioningly. 

Syaoran looked around quickly and, noting that they were alone, called out his sword. It appeared in his hands, blazing, and a slight wind picked up as he chanted a spell. The tip of the weapon began to glow and he touched it gently to her skin, shoulders forehead and stomach, in the for navigational points, chanting all the while. 

She could feel something clinging to her. Somehow she knew it hadn't been brought on by Syaoran's spell but had been there before, clinging to her like a second layer of skin. It was strong and black, very similar too… 

The feeling disappeared and Syaoran's knees collapsed, only his sword saved him from plummeting to the ground. Exhaustion lined his face as he leaned against the sword hilt. "Just as I thought," he commented, banishing the object and sitting next to her again. Sakura struggled to her feet and looked at him encouragingly. "It's magic of some sort. The spell on you is the same one that's on me. But I don't know what it is." 

"Kero might," she suggested, "and don't you have a ton of books at your apartment? After school I could run and get him. Then we could research at your apartment and try to find out exactly what's going on, if that's okay." 

He looked a redder than normal. "Okay," he agreed. "You look horrible, you should have stayed home today." 

"I could say the same thing for you," she returned with a shrug. 

Syaoran was looking passed her, face set in a grimace. "I think Daidouji is here," he commented in a dry whisper, pointing to a blinking red light in the bushes. 

Sakura's face turned to match the light. "Tomoyo-chan!!" 

**********

Third block geometry was notable for being boring and this afternoon didn't seem to e an exception. The class was scheduled for a test, which they would commence after the drawling teacher stepped away from the overhead. 

"…things are different for the 45, 45, 90. Remember the legs, then you'll be able to…" 

Syaoran thought reviews were tedious and pointless. He knew the material and last minute instruction wouldn't help test scores. That was why his gaze continued to drift away from the lecture. He was watching Sakura. 

Math was her least favorite subject, but that didn't excuse the sick look passing over her face. She was paler than normal, her head resting on folded arms. Her attempt to focus was valiant, but her drooping eyelids proved she was losing the battle. The lack of sleep was kicking in. 

"…to find any leg, take the square toot or multiply by…" 

A muffled thump shook the classroom, startling the lecture. All students were looking towards the back of the room and a hushed chatter broke out. Sakura was laying in the isle, unmoving. Of course, Tomoyo was at her side in seconds, attempting to wake the sleeping girl. She received a slight glare of amber, suggesting she leave the other alone. Complying with a sigh, she pillowed her friend's head in her lap and watched Syaoran shove his way to the front of the room. 

"Shueisha-san." 

The middle-aged teacher turned towards his student with a flustered expression. Syaoran met his eyes calmly. "Kinomoto hasn't had much sleep lately, she's been suffering from insomnia. I think it would be best not to wake her, I can call her father. Her family knows me." 

"Of course, Li, thank-you," the teacher replied gratefully. "And tell Kinomoto she startled us all." 

Syaoran bowed his thanks and walked back to join Tomoyo. 

"Shueisha-san agreed that we shouldn't wake her. I was going to take her outside and call her father." 

"Good idea, Li-kun," she agreed, patting him on the head childishly. A secret smile stole over her face. "No be nice to Sakura-chan." 

He grumbled a the gesture as he scoped Sakura's limp form into his arms. The whispers in the class increased as he slung his bag ant the bag of his companion over his shoulder, walking from the room. 

Outside, the hallways were deserted. Syaoran paused near a bench to lay Sakura down before retrieving his cell-phone. As he dialed a number saved on his phone, he felt overcome by nerves. He had this number in case of emergency, but he did o feel comfortable calling her father's cell. 

The older man answered on the third ring. "Professor Kinomoto." 

"Kinomoto-san, this is Li Syaoran." 

"Li-san? Is there a problem?" he wondered, sounding worried. 

"Sakura fell asleep in class," Syaoran replied. "I know she hasn't been sleeping well, so I asked the teacher not to wake her. She's still asleep now." 

"I see. Thank-you for your concern, Li-san, but I'm afraid I can't come pick her up." 

"I could bring her home," he volunteered with burning checks. 

"There's no one home, I'd be concerned is she were there alone. Besides, I believe the house is locked," he sighed, smiling to himself/ "I trust your judgement, Li-san. Take care of my little girl." 

The line clicked and Syaoran starred at the telephone, in a state of shock. There seemed to be only one solution and his face was on fire at the thought. 

* 

** To be continued… please review, keeps me going!**


	2. Bath Time and Fairy Tales

** Sleepless**

* 

_ Chapter two: Bath-time and Fairy Tales_

* 

_ I appologize for any gramatical/ technical errors in this peice. You see, I had it type and done-up nicely when my lap-top decided to take a little snooze, deleting my work. And yes, I am back, hopefully for good, and I appreciate those of you who gave me your support!_

This could be heaven or hell, Syaoran decided as he walked home with the girl of his dreams held in his arms. Sakura was still asleep. He was torn, wanting her to awake, to save him from this situation, and praying she wouldn't just so he could hold her longer. Her expression was angelic, as usual, and his heart swelled as she snuggled deeper into his hold. At least she was getting the sleep she desperately needed. 

His brief conversation with her father was still ringing through his mind, baffling him. He must have interpreted Mr. Kinomoto's comment wrong, he would not allow some teenage boy to carry his unconscious daughter to their home and stay there, unsupervised. Of course Syaoran would never take advantage of Sakura in that or any manner, the thought alone made him nauseous, but what proof of that did her father have? 

_Either way, it seems I'm left with few choices,_ he considered upon examination of the situation. No one was home at the Kinomoto house hold and even if he felt comfortable leaving her alone he wouldn't be able to get inside. Waking her up wasn't an option, she needed the rest and he couldn't bring himself to disturb her peaceful composure. _So I have no choice but to go home. _ Hopefully his action's wouldn't have horrible consequences… 

Syaoran was out of breath by the time he'd reached the front door of his second story apartment. The girl he held was nowhere near overweight, but although she seemed extravagantly thin she was still a hundred pounds of dead weight. He unlocked the door and stepped in, closing it quietly behind. It was amazing she hadn't waken-up yet. _I can't believe I'm doing this…_

It was cool inside the apartment, a refreshing change from the warmth outdoors. He looked down again at Sakura. Now the question was what to do with her… 

Walking to his bedroom, Syaoran called in all the good deeds he'd ever done with the hope of earning a favor from Kami-sama. _Please don't let her be angry when she wakes up. Please don't let her be angry when she wakes it._ It became a type of chant, running through his head as he made his way down the hall. 'Worst case' images flooded his mind; an angry Sakura waking up and storming out, declaring never to talk to him again because he was a pervert for doing what he did. _ Please don't let her be angry when she wakes up…_

Whatever happened would happen, he decided, and he would take what she decided to do to him like a man. But he hoped she wasn't angry… 

Syaoran set her gently on his bed, pulling a blanket folded at the foot of it over her slight form. He watched her sigh deeply in sleep and smiled. _At least she's getting some sleep, that's all that matters…_

Something washed over him, making his skin tingle. Magic. It felt dark, like the a starless sky or a pitch-black room, and cold. What alarmed him more was the fact that is wafted off Sakura in sheets. His face pinched into a scowl as he scrutinized her again with his magical sense, searching for any clue as to what was making her emit such an aura… 

It was gone. Rather than feeling relieved, Syaoran's worry increased. So this bout of sleeplessness was magically related, he knew it. But this could be dangerous. Protecting Sakura's cards from an enemy would be harder if they were both seriously sleep deprived. No such threat had ever arose before, but it seemed to be a cunning plan of attack. 

There was a bookshelf against the far wall of the bedroom, the only piece of furniture, save the bed and dresser, in the room. The Clan Elders had presented him with an almost complete copy of the Li family's magical library. He went to the shelf and pulled book after book off, accumulating quite a pile in his arms. After selecting ten heavy books, he turned to sneak out of the room quietly, so as not to disturb Sakura's rest, but forgot about the sheathed katana laying on the floor. 

Syaoran's foot caught on the object, sending him flying forward and scattering the books. They crashed to the floor with excessive noise and he froze where he'd fallen. _Don't wake up, Sakura. Stay asleep, don't wake up…_

The figure on the bed stirred slightly then became still again. He let out a sigh.. 

Too soon… 

Sakura sat up on the bed, looking around. She was confused and slightly frantic, but as she noticed Syaoran sprawled on the floor her fear ebbed to puzzlement. "Syaoran-kun, where am…" 

He jumped to his feet, explaining the situation before she could take it the wrong way. "You fell asleep in math class," he explained, " and I called your father, who told me he wouldn't be able to come and pick you up and that your house was locked. I didn't want to wake you up so… I brought you here so you can rest. My apartment, that is, and you were asleep until I tripped over that damned sword and dropped all those damn books." He stooped to examine the mess before gathering the detestable objects into his arms, again. 

She was smiling as she stretched, pushed the blanket off, and rolled from the bed. 

"Ack! Don't get up Sakura! Go back to sleep!" 

The card mistress kneeled beside him, picking up a few books of her own. "I can't, Syaoran-kun," 

He felt an incredible wave of guilt. 

"It's not your fault!" she replied quickly, smiling reassuringly. "I should help you research anyway! That is what you're doing, right?" 

He nodded and picked up a final book before leading the way into the living room. The teens sat themselves down, Sakura on one end of the couch and Syaoran in the arm chair near it. Setting immediately to work, it was many minutes before either spoke; the room was silent save the occasion turning of a yellowed page. 

The books were dull, old, and seemed to contain nothing regarding what could be causing their sleeplessness. They were written in ancient characters that were difficult to read and hard to understand. The small text and musty smell about them annoyed Syaoran to no end. Yet every time he thought he'd reached his breaking point with this boring activity, he'd glance up to see Sakura wadding diligently through the text. She had an adorable frown of concentration on her face and she ran a finger along each line to make reading easier, mouthing each character as she went. That image reinstalled his determination and Li was back to the musty volumes. 

Sakura's voice broke through the silence nearly half an hour later. "Syaoran! I think I found something!" She jumped off the couch and all but ran over to him, presenting the book to him. He took her offering from her and began to examining it as the girl stood before him with her arms clasped behind her back. 

Seconds turned to minutes and Sakura's sleep deprived form could take standing no longer. It appeared that Syaoran would still be reading for quite some time, so she sunk to the ground near his feet. She sighed, a little wistfully, and the comfortable feeling that came from being this close to him. A handful of minutes passed and her head became heavy. Without thinking she let it tilt until it was resting on his knee. 

Syaoran felt her presence, followed by the warmth on his leg, and smiled slightly. He set the book down beside the chair quietly, after finding nothing that was of use. 

"Nothing?" she wondered, feeling his movement and tilting her head back to look at him. 

_Damn._ He thought he'd been stealthier than that. The last thing he wanted was to deflate her happiness at a possible find. Besides, she might move away once she got her answer and he didn't want that. But he wasn't about to lie to her. "Sorry Sakura, but it was a good try." 

She made a small sound of disappointment and leaned back onto his leg. Syaoran watched her reach for another book, battle valiantly against her exhaustion. Her eye-lids were drooping, so close to sleep, but she wouldn't allow that to happen until they'd discovered a cure to their problems. 

"Sakura, you need to sleep," he pleaded suddenly. 

She set down the book and glanced up at him again, returning his solicit with a look of her own. "You haven't slept either, why aren't you more concerned about yourself?" 

Syaoran sighed heavily because the prospect of sleep was so welcome. His hand seemed to move on it's own, reaching down to rest atop the auburn head leaning against his knee. She had beautiful hair, in color and texture. It was a warm honey brown and felt like strands of the finest silk in his hand. Again, his hand adhered to its own will, moving freely through those locks. A horrific thought that his touch was making her uneasy in some way ran through his mind but was erased when she glanced up and met his eyes with a small, sleepy smile. 

"I've had training, Sakura, you haven't," he explained gently. "I've dealt with sleep deprivation before but you haven't and not sleeping is making you sick. If I could sleep I would, but I want to help you since I can't." 

She smiled at him again, nearly beaming. "I'm lucky to have you, Syaoran." Her hand went up to his, still tangled in her hair, and both teens felt a jolt run through them as their hands touched. They shook it off and Sakura squeezed his hand gently, leaning more of her weight on his legs. "But I've tried everything." 

"What's everything?" He felt completely content at that moment, wouldn't have left his position for all the money in the world. 

"Teas, charms, prayers," she ticked each item off on her finger, "medicine, temple visits, _everything_!" 

That was a pretty impressive list of cures, he thought, but he had access to something Sakura didn't. It was a very powerful sleep agent from China, that he immune because of his extensive training. Sitting in a bathtub full of the stuff had done nothing but wear on his nerves. Sakura, however, might be helped by it. 

"I'll be right back." Leaving his seat and Sakura's warmth was one of the biggest sacrifices he'd ever made, but it was for a cause much greater than himself; Sakura. Syaoran walked into the kitchen and, finding the bottle where the herb was kept, made his way tot he bathroom. He drew warm water from the tap and sprinkled the dried plant in. It gave off a sickly sweet smell, so sweet that it made him cringe. When the tub was filled, he returned to the living room to face the other's inquisitive gaze. 

"What were you doing, Syaoran?" 

"You're going to take a bath," he informed her and the statement was met with a frown. 

Sakura shook her head. "I told you Syaoran, that won't work. I've tried before." 

"Try again." It still didn't seem that she was going anywhere so Syaoran scooped her into his arms for the second time that day. Sakura squealed at the sudden action but didn't fight. Instead she sat in his embrace, watching him and unconsciously admiring his strong face. He walked down the hall and deposited her into the small bathroom at the end, closing the door before she could protest. "Take a bath," he called to her through the door. "It will make you feel better." 

_What did I just do?_ Syaoran demanded, his cheeks flushing red. _ What did I just do!_ He shook off his blush, calming his beating heart by explaining to himself that it was for her own good. Still standing by the bathroom door, he heard the soft swish of clothing falling to the floor, followed by a gently splashing. The youth tore himself away from the spot, walking quickly down the hall. Not that the images entering his mind weren't been pleasant… _ Damn it Syaoran, don't be a hentai!_

He settled himself on the couch, trying to think about anything except Sakura's bath. His mind whirled and whirled until it caught a thought that was significant enough to distract him. 

Syaoran remembered the aura he'd felt surrounding Sakura earlier. It was so powerful and black, obviously belonging to an experience magician, but the sense of familiarity that loomed over it annoyed him. It had been black, such a dark black that it was almost blue. Now that brought up an image. Damn Hiiragizawa's hair, shining raven blue in the sun. 

That's when it hit him. Hiiragizawa. He was behind this. 

Before Syaoran could form any plans of attack the phone rang, providing a much needed distraction. He yanked it off the hook, feeling sullen. 

"Li Syaoran." 

"Li-kun!" Tomoyo's voice chirruped over the line, sounding cheerful as always. "How's Sakura-chan?" 

"She's fine, shouldn't you be in school," he wondered cautiously. 

"Oh yea, technically." She waved his question away. "Hey, Li, I wanted to tell you a story." 

Now he was seriously suspicious. "A story?" 

"Yes, a story," Tomoyo confirmed. "It's a fairy tale, like the one you and Sakura preformed back in elementary school." He blushed at the thought. "Anyway, a beautiful princess was put under a spell by a clever magician and despite their efforts, the people around her could do nothing to help. Luckily for her, though, she knew a prince, handsome although somewhat hard headed, who couldn't stand to see the princess in pain. In an attempt to make his love feel at least a little better, kissed her and magically broke the spell. From then on, they lived happily…" 

"Daidouji." 

"Yes Li?" 

"What the hell are…" 

He could almost see her grinning as she cut him off. "A kiss of true love breaks a horrible spell. It's classic, Li." 

Without a word of farewell, the phone went dead. 

Sakura sank into the warm bath water with a contented sigh. Yes, she had told Syaoran she didn't want a bath, but it felt so right now that she was here. The water was sweetly scented like over-ripe fruit and cotton-candy. It felt nice as well, rushing over her body in small, soothing currents. She breathed in the scent and texture of it, trying her best to relax. Maybe Syaoran would sleep better if he wasn't worrying about her… 

This was a little strange, she considered, looking around the bathroom. Here she was in Li Syaoran's bathroom, taking a bath. The thought, along with the heat from the water, made her face flush. He really was a very clean person. She hadn't thought a teenage guy's bathroom would be this… tidy. Compared to the way Touya had trashed the one at home… 

Fifteen minutes passed and the water was beginning to wrinkle her fingers and toes. She got out of the lukewarm liquid a reluctantly and dried herself. The scent of the herb clung to her still, filling the steamy air with its scent. She smiled a little, toweling her hair, it smelled kind of nice. 

Sakura picked up her clothes, preparing to get dressed. The idea of feeling so clean and putting on dirty clothes wasn't appealing, but she had no other option. That was when her eyes wandered to the small rack over the toilet. On the second shelf were two bundle of clothes, folded neatly. She took one down and found, to her surprise, it was a pair of sweat pants and an old tee-shirt. 

_He keeps clothes in the bathroom, that's different._ She considered, _But it's a good thing for me._

The card mistress was preparing to pull on the clean clothes when she stopped, shocked by her rudeness. _But I don't think Syaoran would mind,_ she thought, attempting to justify her actions, _and changing back into sweaty school clothes would kind of defy the point…_ Her conscious appeased, she slipped into the new outfit. 

His clothes were, of course, too big for her and hung off her body. But they fit comfortably, reminding her of overly large pajamas. The sweatpants were gray, a small emblem in the corner proclaiming "Hong Kong University" in a circle of text. His shirt wasn't nearly as exciting, a worn gray collared T-shirt without mark or design. Both articles smelled like him, clean and fresh, and she inhaled the scent greedily. Even if he did yell at her, it would almost be worth it, she considered. 

Sakura opened the bathroom door and walked out in a cloud of stem, her still wet hair hanging around her head and dampening the back of her borrowed shirt. She glanced in the living room a little apprehensively. Seeing Syaoran seated back in his chair with his back to her, she took a few steps forward and called out a little hesitantly, "Um, Syaoran?" 

He turned, another book in hand, and blinked. 

"I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind. I didn't have any clean clothes and I saw these on your shelf so I borrowed them, I didn't think you care but if…" 

"It's fine, Sakura," he replied, one of his rare smiles appearing on his face. "Help yourself to anything you want." 

A grin brightened her face as well. She walked over to where he was seated and looked down on him curiously. "Did you happen to make a breakthrough while I was in the tub?" 

"Actually, I think I might have." 

He sounded nervous, but she didn't pick-up on his tone. "What is it?" she wondered enthusiastically. 

Syaoran stood and took her forearms, gently leading her towards the couch. "Sit down." She did and he sat beside her. He looked away from her and Sakura frowned slightly. What was wrong? 

When his eyes finally met hers again, they were the deepest shade of amber she had ever seen. There was something more, some kind of hidden emotion he had been forced to display. He took hold of her face, gently placing one hand on either cheek. "Please forgive me, Sakura," he mummered, leaning towards her until… 

His lips touched her in a light caress, feeling strangely cool against her flushed face. It was the most wonderful gesture she'd receive from anyone: intimate, gentle, and hesitant all at the same time. But by the time Sakura gathered her wits and prepared to return the kiss, he was already pulling back and letting his hands drop from her face. 

Sakura wanted to stop him, to feel his lips on her again but the second he broke contact a fatigue unlike any she'd experience before descended on her. Her eyes closed against her will, she felt her body slumping in sleep. _ No! Why now at all ti…_

The Chinese youth wasn't fairing well either. He could still feel the soft texture of her lips beneath his hovering around him like the sickly-sweet smell of the bath-herb. Syaoran wanted to say something more, apologize, explain his actions, but sleep overcame him in a sudden rush, flooding his body as darkness took over. 

"Syao…" Sakura's hand, poised in mid-air to touch his face, dropped as the much desired sleep drug her into its depths despite her desperate protests. 


	3. The Evening After

****

Sleepless

__

Chapter Three: The Evening After

*

"I think that went well. Quite well, and I don't mean to brag."

"How can you tell?"

"I can feel his aura and hers, they're both asleep. Meaning…"

"Li-kun took my advice. Kawaii!!"

"But the kiss really means little. Everything depends on what emotions it uncovered… and what they do with those emotions."

"I see." A slight silence. "You better not mess-up all our hard work, Li-kun!" 

*

It was still dark when the Chinese youth awoke, feelings disoriented as his mind drifted back from the land of sleep. It felt like he had been asleep for a few hours and his body was cramped and protesting. Rest, however, had refreshed his mind. He didn't want to disturb the comfortable warmth surrounding him, but his discomfort made his eyes slid open little by little.

Blinking, Syaoran cleared out the sleep. He starred at his surroundings and discovered, after a second of thought, that he was in the living room instead of the bedroom. He was on his back, sprawled awkwardly across the couch; that would explain the pain. After more consideration, he discovered the cause of the warmth he felt surrounding him.

Sakura had settled herself atop him and was sleeping blissfully. She curled to his body, her head resting just above his heart and hands bunched in the cloth of his shirt. His tee shirt hung off one of her delicate shoulders and crept slightly up her back. The smell of bath-herb clung to her tousled locks, tickling her face where they brushed against his cheek. The girl sighed in her sleep, a slight smile crossing her face as she snuggled deeper into his embrace.

Syaoran's face flushed at her proximity, a pleasant tingle racing up his spine. He wrapped his arms around her form, reflexively, and pulled her warmth closer. One hand tangled itself in her hair and the other rang gently over the length of her back, coming to rest on the bare flesh of her lower back. Ordering his mind not to think, he held her and enjoyed being close to her, enjoyed the smell and feel of her. The Chinese youth knew his mind all too well, and if he considered his situation too long his conscious would find some reason why he shouldn't be touching her like he was.

Sure enough, the reason came and filled Syaoran with guilt. She was asleep with no idea what was happening. No doubt, she'd fallen asleep as soon as he had, right after the kiss. And here he was taking advantage of her…

He untangled her hands from his shirt and carefully slid out from underneath her, arranging her into a more comfortable position. She made a small protest as the warmth left her, but Syaoran soothed her with a gentle hand on her face, supplementing it by covering her form with a blanket. "Sleep Sakura, we've got a lot to talk about when you do wake-up."

Tomoyo's suggestion worked, that was obviously no accident. Her and Hiigarawza were in the same league with their sole purpose being to make his life miserable. Things would be so much easier if those two would stop to think things like this all the damn way through! He felt incredibly guilty about forcing a kiss on her as he had. 

What was he going to tell her when she woke up? The truth. Syaoran heaved a sigh. He had planned to admit his feelings for Sakura eventually, but eventually shouldn't have been now! Unless she felt the same… but then, wouldn't she have returned his kiss?

"Ugh…" he put a hand to his head, trying to calm his spinning mind. Such a serious problem was not a good thing to wake up to. The messy-haired youth stalked to the kitchen and put some water on the stove, watching the bubbles appear and float to the top. He poured the boiling water into a cup and added a tea bag; soon the drink was ready.

Syaoran retreated across the living room, stealing another glance at the sleeping Sakura before opening the sliding glass door that led onto the balcony. He stepped into the cool night air and took a seat, starring blankly at the city lights before him. _Damn Hiiragizawa, you are going to die, _he thought bitterly. The heat from his tea formed a twirling length of steam; he blew on it, scattering the fumes. What kind a sick person was he, playing with people and taking obvious pleasure from it… Yes, he would pay, but only after he straightened out this mess.

**S**akura had been drifting between sleep and awake for a while now, ever since the comfortingly warm thing beneath her had left. It wasn't the same without the tepidity: she felt cold, empty, and alone. Her eyes opened as she stretched all the kinks from her body. Her hand collided with something, that should have happened.

The solution came to her- she wasn't in her bed, she wasn't even at home. Nothing around her seemed familiar and the darkness didn't help her identify her location. She was lying on a sofa in someone's living room, yet no knowing where she wasn't didn't bother her.

_Because I'm at Syaoran's apartment._ He'd carried her home when she'd fainted, from exhaustion, at school. They'd spent the rest of the afternoon attempting to discover the cause of their shared illness. All that, however, had ended with…

She pressed a hand gently to her mouth as if hoping to find some evidence that the kiss had actually happened. It was so vivid in her memory; it couldn't have been anything **but** real.

_Syaoran, does this mean you feel the same way about me?_ She wondered, blinking into the darkness. In her mind's eye, she saw him: smiling at her, sitting her down on the couch, leaning in and pressing his lips ever so gently to hers… _Even if it was a dream, I'm going to tell him._

Sakura sat on the couch, feeling resigned. _Yes, I'm going to admit my feelings to Syaoran._

**T**he door slid open behind the brooding youth, admitting another person onto the deck. "Morning, Syaoran," Sakura said quietly. "But I guess it isn't really morning…" Her voice feel silent as an uncomfortable air floated over the couple. She cleared her throat again. "Mind if I sit down?"

"Of course not," he scooted to the right, making room for her on the swinging bench. 

She sat down mechanically, her hands clasped in her lap. This would be harder than she'd expected. Her plan seemed flawless when she considered it alone inside the living room, but all her thoughts fled at his presence beside her. _Kami-sama, help me not to look like an idiot._

Both youths starred straight ahead. Syaoran kept glancing at his companion from the corner of his eyes. She was so beautiful, inside and out, the most amazing person he knew. It was only a matter of time before the topic of the kiss came up and he dreaded to think that his confession might make her uncomfortable. Sakura would never avoid him purposely, but some awkward things tended to drive even good friend apart…

He suck in a resigned breath and clutched the teacup in his hands. "You're wondering about last night, aren't you?"

The kiss… No, she hadn't really been worried about that. It's mention, however, brought a whirl of pleasant thoughts to her head.

Her head turned, eyes fixing on him, but Syaoran refused to look at her. He continued to stare straight ahead as he continued. "The k…kiss, I… I'm sorry." 

"You're… sorry?" Sakura wondered breathlessly. Her heart dropped to her feet as a cold feeling entered her stomach. If he was sorry, did he mean he regretted kissing her? Was it an indication that the whole thing had been a mistake? _No, please no. It was too much to be a mistake… Don't let him think it was a mistake…_

He nodded, doing his best to force a grin onto his face. The result was crooked, half-broken smile. "I shouldn't have, but it was the only… Daidouji called while you were in the bathroom and told me the craziest thing. I'm sure it was a hint from Hiigarawza, I could feel his aura surrounding you, so I…"

So that was it. He kissed her to break this sleepless spell. It shouldn't have surprised her; he was too practical to do something like that without some other motivation. Still it hurt, but she wouldn't let it break her resolve.

"Stop." This time he looked at her and found, to his horror, distraught tears in her eyes. "Please, don't say anything else."

Tears. Was she crying because of what he'd done last night…? Gods, he'd never wanted to hurt her. "Sakura, I mean it! I'm sorry, I wish I hadn't…" No, he didn't really. It had been the most wonderful moment of his life…

Scratch that, the second most wonderful.

Something soft brushed his lips, paralleling last night. His eyes flew open in shock and there was Sakura, her eyes squeezed closed as she pressed a kiss desperately against his mouth. He could feel the wetness of her tears against his cheek and the all but tangible sorrow that surrounded her. 

She pulled away, tears running down her face and shaking her body. If she hadn't silence him, she wouldn't have been able to say her next words. His lips still burned on her, making her want to kiss him again, but she restrained herself. "I love you, Syaoran," she whispered, clutching her hands to her heaving chest. There, she said it and was ready for rejection. "I had to tell you, before you only… last night… for my safety. I wouldn't have been able to say it if…"

Syaoran's head spun with joy. _She just said… and kissed me… I can hardly believe…_

With on hand he lifted her chin, pulling her closer until they were inches apart. "Let me rephrase that, Sakura," he whispered huskily. "I wish I hadn't done that without making sure it was alright with you. That's what I meant to say."

"I understand," she replied, trying to turn her head away. What had she expected? Of course her safety concerned him, there was nothing more to it.

He turned her back to face him, "I don't think you do."

All tears were gone now. But her emerald eyes were so large he could she himself reflected back in them. With a smile, he closed the small distance that remained between them. "I love you Sakura, I think I always have."

Their lips meet for the second time that evening and it was minutes before they pulled away. Breathless from their intimate embrace, Sakura flung herself into his embrace, burring himself in his chest. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, holding the girl closer to him. The cup of tea, now cold, sat forgotten on the arm of the bench.

"So you think this was all Eriol-kun's doing?" Sakura wondered after a long, content silence. She could hardly believe the turn of events. Kami-sama really was smiling on her today… tonight.

Syaoran nodded slightly, swinging gently back and forth on the long seat. "I have no doubt," he replied, sounding a little angry. Smoothing a hand over her hair, he sighed.

"I guess that's why I felt his aura two mornings ago…" the Card Mistress considered

"You felt his aura," he demanded, "and you didn't mention it to me?" She was lucky; their position made him too content to get angry over a little issue and risk breaking contact.

She shrugged. "I thought he was comforting me, that's all." He snorted. "Either way, we owe him our thanks. His plan worked out pretty well."

"We owe him a bash over the head."

Sakura laughed, seeking out his hand and squeezing it. "Does my Syao-kun want revenge on poor Eriol?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as he glanced towards the east. The sun was beginning to peer over the horizon, casting golden rays over the sleeping town.

She caught the direction of his gaze and smile. "Isn't it beautiful?" she wondered. "Yesterday morning I remember wishing to never see the sun rise again."

"But…?"

"But I think I can make and exception." 

-Fin-

****

Author's Note: Yes, this was meant to be the end. However, while writing I got an idea as to how to continue the story a few more chapies- I'll go by what you (the reviewers) have to say and take a sort of vote. Next chapter will be something along the lines of "Revenge" and could progress into an E+T subplot (would be my first one ever, wow!) Want me to continue or let it stop here? Lemme know via review or e-mail: pikogio@yahoo.com 


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